The Siege of Kanihirium
See also: Siege of Kanihirium Planetary Governor Kerius Dermont surveyed the land around his city. From his vantage point in the command centre of the Emperor titan ‘Absolution of Barbarus’, he could see the entirety of Kanihirium’s eastern defences. Countless thousands of Guardsmen, PDF troops, Dermont’s own people, formed into enormous ranks. Behind them, row upon row of Leman Russ Battle tanks and Sentinel walkers, far behind the lines, colossal batteries of Basilisk mobile artillery platforms stood ready to unleash devastating barrages. Scattered throughout the human forces, at the points where most defence is required, were the Space Marines of the Ghosts of Retribution chapter. The power armoured super soldiers had Rhino’s ready to ferry them to wherever they are needed, and were supported by a few Predator tanks, as well as a mighty Land Raider, and a leviathan Super-tank known as the ‘Retribution pattern Baneblade’, a deadly vehicle created for the Ghosts of Retribution in return for them recovering it’s STC for the Adeptus Mechanicus. Also placed throughout strategic points in the Imperial battle line were Thunderfire cannons, eached manned by 2 Imperial Fist Space Marines, led by Lieutenant Sternberg, these defence specialists had answered the Ghosts of Retribution's call for help. But by far the most imposing war machines for the Imperials were the four Emperor titans standing amongst the defenders like unshakeable monoliths. Standing 350 feet tall and bristling with cannons the size of small hive spires, Emperor battle titans are the supreme ground weapon of the Imperium of Man. But Kerius’ primary focus was not on his own forces, but rather on the unending horde of gleaming metal stretching from a mile in front of the imperials to over the horizon. The Men of Iron, ancient AI machines determined to clean this planet, Mormark, of human life. Having already inflicted horrific losses on Mormark’s defenders, there was nothing in the galaxy Dermont despised right now more than them. Emotionless, remorseless, slaughtering soldier and civilian without prejudice, without mercy, they had cut a bloody swathe through most of the planet to reach this city. Among the metal ocean, enemy war machines poked out from the surface, assimilated Imperial titans, enemy titans, enemy armoured units, but none were as imposing as the sheer mass of wardroids. The enemy forces were eerily still, why wouldn’t they be? Just robots awaiting orders, orders to resume the slaughter. Dermont had been informed about an hour ago that Chapter Master, leader of the Ghosts of Retribution, had traveled to the Wrath mothership in a last ditch attempt to secure some kind of compromise, or at least make a temporary halt to the fighting. Kerius trusted that his friend Chapter Master would make the best decision for Mormark and the Imperium, whether it leads them to destruction or not, but he feared that Chapter Master would not return. Captain Arcon, of the 3rd company of the Ghosts of Retribution, voiced his thoughts aloud in the command centre. “This damned waiting is killing me, I hope Chapter Master is making some kind of progress.....” “As we all do, Captain.” Replied Dermont. The minutes ticked by, feeling like hours, as every human in Kanihirium waited with baited breath, silently praying to the Emperor to see them through the coming battle. Suddenly, a ripple emerged from the machine lines, sweeping through the horde as they moved into action. Kerius shouted to the titan comms officer “Did Chapter Master’s Thunderhawk leave the enemy motherhip!?!” “Checking...............no reports of friendly craft leaving the mothership......” Kerius sighed deeply and muttered under his breath: “Emperor be with you, Chapter Master......” Captain Arcon strode out of the command centre to the titan’s exit elevator: “I must join my marines, governor, good luck.” “And to you Captain, and to you.” Arcon exited the titan and ran to his nearby Rhino, which swiftly took him to the main concentration of Space Marines. “Marines! The enemy has begun its approach, prepare for battle!” The disciplined warriors formed up and leveled their Boltguns at the rapidly approaching horde, in the distance the roar of Imperial cannons was heard, from Basilisk, Leman Russ and Titan, their shells exploded amongst the machines, barely denting the first wave. Thunderbolt fighters and Vulture and Vendetta gunships arced through the sky, strafing the enemy ranks and dog-fighting with the enemy aircraft. The rapid rumbles of Sternberg's Thunderfire cannons reverberated through the ground as they unleashed deadly shells into the earth around the advancing droids, hampering their movements. Arcon yelled out orders through his vox: “Vehicles! Open fire!” The Predators and Land Raider erupted with Heavy Bolter, Lascannon and Autocannon fire, lacing into the enemy lines, and the Retribution Baneblade unleashed it’s brutal arsenal of weaponry. The enemy vanguard were quite decimated by now, but millions more were fast approaching. The Men of Iron broke the 100 metre mark, and the hammer of the Imperium unleashed its true strength. Hundreds of thousands of Las-beams and Bolt rounds flew from the Imperial lines into the machines, they were cut down like wheat to a scythe, the sheer volume of fire could not be resisted. However, no matter how many ranks were cut down by the Imperial fusillade, another took its place, every one gaining a few more feet of ground than the last before it succumbed to the hellstorm of fire, with every fresh rank inflicting more and more casualties on the Imperial defenders. It was a doomed battle, everyone could tell, there seemed no end to the number of machines the enemy could throw at the defenders, nevertheless, they held their ground firmly, determined to sell their lives dearly for their planet. Guardsmen Tomas Skaro was one such man, peering down his Lasguns sights he unleashed beam after beam into the approaching enemy, aim, fire, aim, fire, again and again and again. Tomas was a dour person, ever since he received word that his elder brother had been killed in combat weeks ago. Rounds from the enemy impacted his line, several guardsmen fell around him, he did not react, he just kept firing. Governer Dermont rolled past the lines behind Tomas in his Chimera, disregarding the enemy fire he was blasting away at the enemy with his Bolt pistol from the top hatch and roaring encouragement to his beleaguered men: “NOT ONE STEP BACK! DEATH TO THE MACHINES, LET THEM KNOW THAT MORMARK WILL NOT FALL WITHOUT A FIGHT!!” The enemy were getting close now, Tomas could see the red glow of their eyes. A heavy wrath droid lumbered towards him, blade-arm outstretched, ready to rend him in two. Tomas knew this was the end, he didn’t care, he just kept firing at the droid as it approached ever faster. The droid was but a few feet away now, and Tomas levelled his bayonet at the heavy droid, such a futile gesture, but it was his duty as a guardsman, to die standing, and holding the line. *THUMP* At the last second, an angel descended from the sky, and crushed the heavy droid beneath him, saving Tomas. The angel turned to Tomas, and spoke: “Guardsman, are you injured?” Now Tomas could see its face, the grim grey and black armour, and massive Jump pack. It was one of the Space Marines, a Ghost of Retribution. “N-no milord.” The Space Marine roared at him with a mixture of battle-fury and determination: “WELL THEN KEEP SHOWING THOSE MACHINES THE STRENGTH OF THE IMPERIUM!!” The Space Marine re-activated his Jump pack and charged into the melee his brothers were already waging against the wrath troops near the lines. Tomas resumed firing away with his Lasgun, supporting the marines in close-combat as they cleaved through the enemy droids with their chainswords. Despite the unending heroics of the Guardsmen and Space Marines, against the machines, there could be no victory, as the Imperial lines were strained, and started to buckle. In the thickest of the fighting, stood 3rd Captain Arcon, roaring with bloodlust, he hacked and slashed through countless machines facing him, never once giving thought to retreat. The Retribution Baneblade too, was facing bad odds, targeted as a priority threat, dozens of wardroids were clambering up the sides to the top hatch of the mighty tank, Techmarine Actium fought them off heroically, standing on the top of his most beloved machine, tearing apart any droid that ventured too close with his Servo-arms, but there were too many for him to hold off for long. Arcon was wounded badly now, even the mighty Captain could not hope to hold out forever, enemy rounds impacted his armour, and wrath heavy droids closed in on him. It was the end for Captain Arcon, such insurmountable odds, but he would take many of them with him! Suddenly, all activity ceased, as a second sun erupted in the sky, a blistering white-hot explosion glistened from space far away. The wrath machines were deeply affected by the event, momentarily freezing in place, Arcon took the advantage and swiftly cut down the droids surrounding him, as did Actium and the other Space Marines, before hastily reforming a firing line. After a precious few seconds, the droids began moving again, however, their actions were incoherent and inefficient, their fire was inaccurate, their strikes slow, and without conviction. Some of the larger wrath machines began to tilt and topple, and suddenly the battle was in the Imperial’s favour. Space Marine vessels began to materialise in the lower atmosphere, the miles long vessels began bombarding the wrath army like vengeful gods. Heavy lance fire slammed into the enemy hordes and evaporated hundreds of thousands of droids in a matter of seconds. Unable to predict incoming fire, the droids fell in droves to cannon fire as it incinerated their ranks, their clumsy movements made them easy prey for the Imperial infantry, and they were torn apart under withering fusillades of fire the droids began to fall back, the action dictated by standard battle protocols in this situation. Not to be denied their vengeance, the Imperials advanced, pouring fire into the packed ranks of machines as the continued orbital bombardment targeted the remaining enemy titans and war-machines, and Imperial aircraft harried the horde constantly. Soon after, the order was given for the Imperials to return to their city, and take a well-deserved rest. The Imperial Guardsmen were relieved that it was all over for another day, and returned to their barracks in high cheer. For the marines, however, their return trip was full of unanswered questions, what was the explosion? What has happened to Chapter Master? What will happen to all the droids in the wilderness? Nevertheless, they were glad with the brutal damage they had inflicted on the enemy. Back inside the ‘Absolution of Barbarus’, Kerius Dermont smiled, he had received word that droids across the planet were reacting in a similar fashion. His capital was saved, his people were safe, and the bloody slaughter that had plagued his planet for the past year seemed to be over. Once again, his thoughts turned to Chapter Master, and what fate he had suffered. But no matter what, this day would be remembered for millennia to come. And so ended the siege of Kanihirium.